SAPVIA Launches Green Economy subcommittee
The first five years of SAPVIA’s existence has focused on the embedding of solar PV into the fabric of South Africa’s electricity sector, ostensibly through the Renewable Energy IPP Procurement (REIPPP) process. SAPVIA started in 2010 with six founding members, all who were solar PV development companies, however, in the intervening six years, the association has grown to over 180 members, involved in all aspects of the renewable energy food chain. Over the same period, we have seen solar prices drop to become one of the cheapest generation technologies, but in a country like South Africa which has prospered on the traditional base load complex of coal, gas, nuclear and pump storage, PV is already cheaper than new coal and nuclear, and likely to become cheaper than Eskom’s “old coal and nuclear” before 2030.
Because of this, SAPVIA has determined that the deployment of solar PV technology is now a commercial rather than sustainability decision, and as such will expand its focus in new sectors outside of REIPPP – specifically on rooftop and commercial / industrial IPPs.
SAPVIA’s MANCO resolved at its first meeting on 17 May 2017 to establish a Green Economy Subcommittee (GES) to deal with a number of issues, typically outside of the REIPPP process which will contribute to the proliferation of solar PV technology in South Africa – the core KPI of the association.
Matters that will be dealt with under the GES are as follows: SAPVIA positions on the Integrated Resource Plan; the establishment of a Solar Industrial Development Plan; and stakeholder relations with BUSA and NEDLAC, BRICS Energy & Green Economy working group, and Expert Reference Group of SIP8 SEA process (establishment of REDZs).
The GES will be comprised of one representative, and one alternate representative of each of SAPVIA’s four active subcommittees, with the remaining eleven seats open to SAPVIA’s broader membership base.
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